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Story: Dairying and dairy products

Rotary milking

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Rotary milking

Rotary milking sheds have a large rotating platform, with single stalls for the cows to walk into. The cows face the centre while the platform slowly rotates in a full circle. During this time the milking cups are attached by a milker, and are either taken off or automatically released once milking is complete. When the rotation is almost complete, the cow backs off the platform and makes its own way back to the yard. Here, some cows are shown on the platform with milking cups attached, while others are waiting to enter.

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Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Melanie Lovell-Smith

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How to cite this page

Hugh Stringleman and Frank Scrimgeour, Dairying and dairy products – Dairy sheds, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15701/rotary-milking (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Hugh Stringleman and Frank Scrimgeour, published 1 March 2009.